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How to Make How to freeze pumpkin from your garden (directions, recipe, with photos) - Easily! With Step-by-step Photos, Recipe, Directions, Ingredients and Costs

How to Cook a Pumpkin to Have Pumpkin Puree to Freeze for Recipes Later

You probably take canned pumpkin for granted. You're there, the can is
there, there's a pumpkin on the label... open it and mix it up with spices to
make a pie, right. Ah, but a pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread made
from a fresh pumpkin tastes so much better than the glop that was processed last
year! Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completely
illustrated. And it is much easier than you think, using my "patented" tips and
tricks!

Directions for Making Pumpkin Filling from Scratch
To Freeze or Use Fresh

Ingredients and Equipment

a pie pumpkin (see step 1)

A sharp, large serrated knife

an ice cream scoop

a large microwaveable bowl or large pot

Recipe and Directions

Step 1 - Get your pie pumpkin

"Pie
pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less grainy textured pumpkins than the usual
jack-o-lantern types. grocery stores usually carry them in late September
through December in the U.S. Note: the Libby's can of cooked pumpkin
is just there for reference - it is the small can, so that gives you an idea of
the size of a typical pie pumpkin. They're only about 8 inches in
diameter.

Just like selecting any squash, look for one that is firm, no bruises or soft
spots, and a good orange color.

Yield: Pie pumpkins are small, usually only 6 inches in diameter. You
can usually obtain about 2 or 3 cups or puree per pumpkin.

Step 2 - Prepare the pumpkin for cooking

Wash
the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap.

Cut the pumpkin in half. A serrated knife and a sawing motion works
best - a smooth knife is more likely to slip and hurt you!

Step 3 - Scoop out the seeds...

And
scrape the insides. You want to get out that stringy, dangly stuff that
coats the inside surface. I find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for
this.

Note: SAVE THE SEEDS:

The seeds can be used either to plant pumpkins next year, or
roasted to eat this year! Place them in a bowl of water and rub them between
your hands. then pick out the orange buts (throw that away) and drain off
the water. Spread them out on a clean towel or paper towel to dry and they're
ready to save for next year's planting or roast.
Click here for roasting instructions!(opens in a new window)

Step 4 - Put it in a microwaveable bowl

Remove
the stem, and put the pumpkin into a microwaveable. You may need to cut the
pumpkin further to make it fit. The fewer the number of pieces, the easier
it will to scoop out the cooked pumpkin afterwards.

Put a couple of inches of water in the bowl, cover it, and put in the
microwave.

Step 5 - Cook the pumpkin until soft

Cook
for 15 minutes on high, check to see if it is soft, then repeat in smaller
increments of time until it is soft enough to scoop the innards out.
Normally it takes 20 or 30 minutes in total.

Note: You CAN cook it on the stovetop; it will just take longer (almost twice
as long)

Step 6 - Scoop out the cooked pumpkin

Using
a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a tablespoon) gently lift and scoop the cooked
pumpkin out of the skin. It should separate easily an in fairly large
chucks, if the pumpkin is cooked enough.

Step 7 - Puree the pumpkin

To
get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a Pillsbury hand blender. A regular
blender works, too (unless you made a few frozen daiquiris and drank them
first..). Or even just a hand mixer with time and patience.

With the hand blender, it just takes 2 or 3 minutes!

Step 8 - Done with the pumpkin!

The pumpkin is now
cooked and ready for freezing or pie recipe. Get the frozen daiquiris out
from step 7 and take a break! :)

You can pack it containers, like Ziploc bags or plastic containers, exclude
as much air as you can, and freeze it!

FoodSaver V2840 Advanced Design

This one is the least expensive of the Food Saver models that has all the
advamced features, like automatic bag detection and sealing, which makes it
faster and easier to seal. And yes, you can seal and freeze foods with
liquids (just freeze the unsealed bag in the freezer overnight, THEN seal
it!)

About $135

Features

Home vacuum-packaging system vacuums, seals, and shuts off
automatically

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